19 March 2008
When Irish Eyes Are(n’t) Smiling
Posted by Shelly under: Shelly Batterbee .
“When Irish eyes are smiling
Sure it’s like a morning spring.
In the lilt of Irish laughter,
You can hear the angels sing…”
I’m not Irish, but I learned that song as a young girl—back when my family would occasionally go to the old Village Inn Pizza Parlor on the southwest side, and there was the Saturday night sing-along with the piano and banjo player. I sometimes would go up and ask if I could sing with them, and being good-spirited entertainers, they would often let me. If I remember correctly, the piano player’s name was Jim – he signed my songbook one time when I was there with my cousins, and my Dad arranged for all six of us kids—my three cousins, my two siblings, and myself—to go up and sing along for a tune or two. I can’t say I remember much about the pizza, but the root beer was great (the only time I could have pop) and the music even better. If anyone knows that piano player or banjo player—give them my best. It seemed an appropriate song to use for this blog’s title, though I had to change it a bit after this weekend’s Irish Jig. I am now secretly calling it the Irish Jinx.
Please understand that I LOVE the Irish Jig 5K. It is what many of us runners consider to be the first race of the season. I am not discounting the other races that do occur prior to this one, but this one is at a time when enough people are willing to brave the cold and not usually TOO much snow to head out for a little competitive spirit. I love the enthusiasm every year; I love the long-sleeved t-shirt; I am now the proud owner of a 25th Anniversary pint glass to match my 20th Anniversary pint glass. Though disappointed that they cut out the Best-Dressed-Leprechaun category, as that would probably be the only thing in which I ever have a chance to win prize money and I was ready to try this year, I still love this race.
I just don’t think the race loves me. I’m wondering if it’s because of my refusal to make an effort to wear green on St. Patty’s Day? I’m sure we have a long-lost Irish cousin somewhere in my family’s heritage, but Irish blood is not really in me. I don’t drink green beer (or green wine, Andrea!), and I don’t LOOK good in green. So after this year, my fourth Jig in a row and I think my 6th or 7th altogether, I’m starting to think perhaps some spritely little Leprechaun is playing a trick on me every March.
March 2005—I ran the Jig with the FLU. I had talked a friend into running it with me—she’d actually been training for the Riverbank 5K, and she had plenty of miles logged at that point, so I rah-rah’d her into running the Jig with me. Well, I got sick—a fever of 102 degrees, but I couldn’t get ahold of her in the morning via phone, so I drove my pathetic self to East Grand Rapids and miraculously found her in the crowd of 2,000 plus runners. My time was over 30 minutes that year, but I really cut myself some slack due to that 102 degree fever and the 3 inches of wet cold slush I ran through. I hadn’t intended to run the Riverbank that year, as I was co-chairing Festival of the Arts that June, and that turned out to be good, as that flu and run in the slush and freezing rain/snow mix turned into a 4 month case of bronchitis.
March 2006—I ran the Jig with my friend Jeanine. Her first Jig. We were both training for the Riverbank 25K that year, so we’d planned our long miles for the same day. We did 4 miles before the race, then the race, then added 2 miles after the race. So most of those miles were on hard concrete sidewalks. Funny—that was the day I started feeling that nagging hip pain. Turned out that hip pain and subsequent foot pain were stress fracture issues, so I bailed out of training in mid-April when I could no longer even walk on that hip. Good times.
March 2007—I ran the Jig, again with my friend Jeanine. My foot had been bothering me for about 3 weeks at that point, so I guess I can’t really say this was some clever little Leprechaun’s fault, but I was only able to get in about 3 more runs before finally caving and calling a doctor. I really had thought I was tying my shoe too tight and creating an invisible bruise—well, I thought that until the bone kinda popped up on top of my foot. Turned out to be another stress fracture on my foot. Bone scans do not lie. And bones should not protrude under your skin.
March 2008—I ran the Jig, again with Jeanine (I realize you are trying to blame her now, but she didn’t run in 2005!), and this time with another friend, Chris, plus my fellow Road Warriors. Had my crappy time mentioned in my previous blog (ok, I’ve had much worse, but it was still crappy-ish in my mind). Left heel a little tender later in the day after a few hours shopping and running errands. I still decide to run my long run with RunGazelle on Sunday—made it 10.56 miles. Heel bothering me more by about mile 8—cambered path on Cascade makes it more noticeable.
By Monday, lucky St. Patty’s Day when Shelly won’t wear green—my heel hurts enough I decide to take a rest day. Tuesday—heel is in enough pain to wear the ol’ Heel Halo as I’m out and about helping in the kids’ classrooms and running errands. Did I mention I’d had heel pain from November to about January? I figured in November the cause was a dance lesson with my husband—I wore heeled boots and he tried to add some fancy moves we clearly were not ready for yet.
So I skipped out on the speed workout I clearly need with RunGazelle and opted to cross-train with a high intensity bike ride yesterday and today. I may have to ride the bike this whole week. Hopefully not, though I am grateful to know cross-training works. But if anyone sees a squirrely-looking Leprechaun roaming the streets of Grand Rapids—can you please ask him what his beef is with me? I’ll wear green if it really means that much to him. Or at least a really cute Irish Jig 5K t-shirt with green on it.
3 Comments so far...
Mike D Says:
19 March 2008 at 1:34 pm.
Shelly, stick to the bike until Saturday. It’s better to rest than risk anything at this point as you know. This has historically not been the greatest week for you. Do you think perhaps it is part mental? I could tell you’ve run the Jig a few times cause even the announcer knew your name. I’ll keep my eyes peeled for that little green guy for ya.
Steve Kelly Says:
20 March 2008 at 3:45 pm.
Maybe next year you should watch the Jig! And Mike, don’t think I don’t know that “little green guy” thing was meant for me…
Deb Says:
20 March 2008 at 9:26 pm.
I agree! Listen to your body. I would wait till Saturday to run. I guess if I were in your shoes I would think the jig was jinxed too! Steve you could be the little green guy with your flourescent green jacket! Love that jacket!